


Great Expectations

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Children, Drama, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-26
Updated: 2008-03-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:53:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: She probably thought he wasn't listening but he really was.





	Great Expectations

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Bruno walked into the bedroom, smiling at Margaret on the bed. She was on the telephone; he listened while undressing.

“Yes mother. Yes mother, I know. Yes mother. Yes mother. I am listening; yes, I am. I am. I do not just say that when I am not listening. No. Yes mother.”

Bruno turned to look at her. He grinned as she circled her finger around her temple to indicate insanity. Then she stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth.

“Oh yes mother, I think it’s a great idea. I really do. Yes mother. It has not arrived yet, when did you mail it? Perhaps it will by the weekend. Yes, good idea. He is here mother. No, he has not asked me to marry him. Tonight, mmm, I don’t think so. I know I could be wrong. I know, yes mother. I really should go. I do, I will, of course. Mmm hmm. Love to daddy. Yes mother. Yes mother. Goodnight.”

Bruno laughed as she hung up the phone. Margaret took a deep breath, blowing it out before laughing.

“I love my mother.” She said.

“I know baby.”

Bruno came over to the bed, leaning to kiss her. Margaret stroked his beard and they kissed again.

“Mother sent Teddy an Easter dress. She wants me to get family photos taken for the holiday. I think it is a lovely idea, I just wish she had mentioned it earlier. Easter is next Sunday.”

“Just dress the kids up and take some Polaroids, Marnie.”

“Bruno!”

He was on his way to the bathroom when the sharp tone of her voice stopped him in his tracks. Turning around, he tried to assess just how much trouble he’d made for himself.

“What did I say?”

“I deal with enough issues in this unconventional thing we have but you want to take something as sacred as family photos and dress the kids up for Polaroids. We need to do family things; it’s important to me. It should be important to you. When I was growing up, we took a family portrait every year. From the first one the year Russell was born up until Isabel graduated from Bryn Mawr.

“It was a ritual that brought us closer as a family. Daddy would take the boys to Mr. Fairleigh for their new suits and mother would take us girls to Dillard’s. It did not matter what was happening…it was essential. It is essential.”

“I know how important it is.” He joined her on the bed and took her hands. “I never meant to sound as if it wasn’t. Its just that Easter is close and your mother decides tonight to tell you she wants holiday portraits.”

“She sent Teddy a new dress and it has not arrived yet.” Margaret said.

“I'm sure it’s lovely.”

“I don’t know about that but I will dress her in it. I want you there Bruno; this is a family thing. We are a family.”

“I doubt your parents want to hang a portrait of me over their fireplace.” Bruno replied grinning. Margaret was not amused.

“This is not about them. You need to do this for your family.”

“You make it seem as if I don’t do things for you. Is that how you feel Margaret?”

She did not say anything. That was all Bruno needed. He let go of her hands, went into the bathroom and closed the door. He took his time showering and getting dressed for bed afterward. Bruno was not in the mood to fight. He never liked when Margaret was upset with him, but this time he was upset too. Yes, he still traveled extensively and could be gone for up to a week at a time, but she had to know what she and the children meant to him.

If Margaret was not happy then he needed to know. That had always been the deal. Bruno was not a mind reader. Something was wrong but she was not ready to open up about it. The idea of pushing her was not a pleasant one. Still, it was better than letting it fester and having it explode in his face. OK, Bruno would prepare for a fight and jump in with both feet.

Margaret, Brian, and Theadora meant everything to him. They were his family. With family you had to take the sour with the sweet. Margaret taught him that a long time ago. She probably thought he wasn’t listening but he really was.

Bruno brushed his hair, took a long look in the mirror, and went out to face the music. The bedroom was dark. Margaret was under the covers but he was unsure if she slept. It was a good idea to see the kids before bed. Six year old Brian was sound asleep…he had school in the morning. His father stared at him for a few moments. Bruno remembered holding his son in his arms for the first time and every single time after. Each one had been blissful.

Going next door, Bruno looked in on Teddy. Why the toddler slept with her little bum in the air he was never going to figure out. Estella Gianelli laughed when he told her about it. He slept the same way when was two. Every time his father would turn him on his side, Bruno would cry a bit and go back to the position he found most comfortable. He grew out of it and Teddy would eventually.

She was such a strange and intriguing creature in her father’s eyes. Teddy perfectly combined her mother’s quirkiness and her father’s tenacity. A handful fresh from the womb, she gave Bruno a joy he did not was possible before he met her. Laughing to himself, he turned her on her side. Teddy whined, fumbled, and went right back to how she was. He would stop while he was ahead.

He walked back to the master bedroom. Sliding between the sheets, Bruno made sure to keep his distance from Margaret. It was a lousy way to sleep. He could hardly bear not holding her when she was close. Closing his eyes, he just thought it better to end this night. The quicker the morning came, Bruno could work out exactly how to fix the problem.

An hour passed before he stopped believing his idea would work. Bruno moved onto his back, slid his arms around Margaret, and pulled her to him. She resisted at first, a sure sign she was asleep. After a few moments, she relaxed and cuddled in his arms. Margaret tilted her chin and Bruno kissed her lips. Even in her sleep she knew what he wanted. How could he not smile about that?

“One of these days I promise to live up to your expectations.” He whispered.

“I don’t have any expectations.” Margaret mumbled.

“Everyone has them, whether they acknowledge it or not.”

“Bruno…”

“Shh. Baby, we will talk in the morning.”

“But…”

“It’s kinda late. We don’t have to do this.”

“I want to talk to you.” Margaret sat up, pushing her red hair out of her face. “I only need a few minutes.”

“You know that I'm listening.”

“When I was growing up, I had a very normal life. We had the fighting with the Canadian cousins and partially disowning the Kramer cousins, but all families have controversies. Mother, daddy and us kids had a great life in our overcrowded house. You had a normal life too, Bruno. I want that for Brian and Teddy. I want them to have holidays and expect things from mommy and daddy that we deliver. I never want them to feel as if their lives are unconventional, even if they are.”

“How can we change this without changing who we are?” he asked.

“I don't know. Maybe we shouldn’t be so unconventional anymore. I don't know.” She shook her head. “I have been doing a lot of reading and I am scared to death we are doing something wrong. We just have to keep trying.”

“I am never going to give up. I love you so much, and my children are my heart and soul. I wasn’t sure I could ever love someone more than you until I met them.”

“I know Bruno.”

She kissed him again. When she pulled away, Bruno brought her back to him and deepened their kiss.

“I thought it was late.” Margaret mumbled between kisses. She straddled him to make herself more comfortable.

“Well, I figured since we were up…” Bruno pushed the nightgown up around her waist, quite happy to find nothing underneath to remove. “Anyway, since you are off tomorrow, I will get the kids up for school while you sleep in. Then I will pick up breakfast before coming home and climbing back into bed with you.”

“Bed all day, hmm?” she slid her hand into his pajama pants. Bruno had an erection …Margaret figured he always did. He relaxed under her touch.

“Oh baby, that is so nice. You just keep doing that.”

“Is that all you want?” Margaret asked, leaning forward to kiss him. Bruno’s hands roamed across her bare buttocks.

“I want you Marnie, you know that. But…ooh God. Will you put it in your mouth?”

The redhead smiled, slipping under the covers. She was not quite in the mood for sex anyway, probably because she was tired. She would give Bruno a little special attention and then be permitted to sleep. It wasn’t as if he was not attentive when she wanted him to be. She would probably want him to be as soon as he got back from dropping off the kids.

“Mmm Marnie, oh baby, yeah that’s it baby.” He ran his fingers through her hair.

She loved the way his hips rose from the mattress. He groaned as if it was the best in the world and that was an ego boost. His fist started to pound the mattress; she knew he was close.

“Marnie! Jesus!”

Bruno came, it sounded as if someone punched him in the gut. Margaret crawled back into his arms and he kissed her passionately.

“I love you. Damn, you are so good to me.”

“I love you too, and I don’t have expectations Bruno. I have hopes and dreams.”

“You know I want you to share everything with me.”

“Some things, I shouldn’t have to tell you.”

He was not sure what that meant. Why were women such an enigma at the worse time? He knew that he could make her happy, that he did. He often thought of marriage but wasn’t sure it would work out. That feeling had nothing to do with Margaret. Fears plagued the political strategist. He never failed at anything, except for Arnold Vinick and that was Vinick’s fault. 

If he failed with Margaret, Bruno would not recover. If a day came where he could only see his children sporadically and see her next to never, he no longer wanted to walk the earth. Oh dear God, when did he start having such theatrical thoughts? Margaret turned in his arms and Bruno spooned behind her. She slipped her fingers in his; he knew she was smiling without seeing her face.

“You can worry about our inevitable breakup and your stumbling through life alone tomorrow. Go to sleep.”

“Stop that.” Bruno muttered.

“What?”

“Knowing me so well.”

“Absolutely never.” Margaret said.

“Thank you.”

***


End file.
